The Recipe Girl Cookbook: Dishing out the Best Recipes for Entertaining and Every Day

WEB FAVORITE

VEGETARIAN (or adaptable)

GLUTEN-FREE (or adaptable)

DAIRY-FREE (or adaptable)

On fall mornings, my husband often gathers a few dollars and trudges off to the local coffee shop for his fancy drink fix. It turns out that those dollars eventually add up to a whole lotta cashola that he doles out for his specialty drink. In an effort to keep him home and keep more dollars in the bank, I worked out a pumpkin spice latte recipe that he enjoys just as much as the real deal.

In a glass measuring cup or microwave-safe bowl, whisk together the milk, pumpkin, brown sugar, vanilla and spice. Microwave for 1 to 2 minutes, watching closely, and remove the cup from the microwave when the milk is hot and frothy.

Pour the pumpkin milk into a tall mug or glass. Add the hot coffee. Pour in the half-and-half. Add the 1 teaspoon sugar. Stir, taste and add more sugar if desired.

Optional, but oh-so-good, add whipped cream on top and a sprinkle of nutmeg. Serve immediately.

TIP If you don’t have pumpkin pie spice in your spice collection, make your own! Mix equal amounts of cinnamon, ginger, allspice and nutmeg and then measure from there.

Lighten up this recipe by using nonfat milk and fat-free half-and-half. The drink won’t be quite as rich, but you’ll still get that delicious pumpkin spice latte flavor.

Picture a cold and windy day, snow falling, fire in the fireplace, and cozying up on your couch with a good book and a warm beverage. Now picture that warm beverage as a rich and wonderful mug full of chocolate, one that will no-doubt take care of that chocolate-craving you’ve been having, and now picture the whipped cream on top. Only this whipped cream is a sweetened cream cheese whipped cream, much like what you’d find in a cheesecake. This Cheesecake Hot Chocolate makes an awfully pretty picture, don’t you think?

To prepare the whipped cream, in a medium mixing bowl, use an electric mixer to blend together the cream, sugar and cream cheese. Mix until the cream has almost thickened into stiff peaks when the beaters are lifted from the mixture, 2 to 3 minutes. Set aside.

To prepare the hot chocolate, in a medium pan, heat the milk over medium heat until it is hot to touch, 3 to 5 minutes. Whisk in the chocolate and stir until it is melted and incorporated into the milk. Remove from the heat and divide the hot chocolate among 4 mugs. Top each mug with a generous spoonful of whipped cream.

GLUTEN-FREE ADAPTABLE Use a brand of chocolate that is known to be gluten-free.

TIP Any milk will work just fine for this recipe, with whole milk making it nice and rich and skim milk making it lighter. I use 2% to create something right in the middle of that.

Change this into a white hot chocolate by substituting white chocolate for the milk chocolate, and then make this a fun holiday drink by adding a few drops of red, green or pink food coloring to the hot chocolate for Christmas, Valentine’s Day or St. Patrick’s Day.

On weekday mornings, it’s sometimes a little crazy trying to get everyone fed and out the door in a timely manner. These smoothies are packed full of fruit and yogurt, and they’re easy to take and go. Tummies won’t be rumbling for at least a couple of hours when there’s a smoothie sitting inside them.

Place all of the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. If the smoothie appears to be too thick to blend, just add a little more juice. Divide between two glasses and serve.

TIP You can certainly use fresh peaches and mangoes, but you’ll need to add in ¹⁄₂ cup or so of ice cubes to obtain a frozen consistency.

Substitute 1 cup frozen strawberries or blueberries plus 1 banana for the peaches and mangoes.

When you have a bunch of people together for a big brunch, this fruit juice–based punch is the one to whip together. Served up in a large bowl with a ladle, your guests can help themselves. That leaves you time to prep the rest of the meal and frees you from the headache of getting drinks for everyone. This kid-friendly recipe makes enough punch for a large gathering.

In a large punch bowl combine the juices and limeade. Just before serving, stir in the club soda and add the lime and orange slices. Place the ice in a bucket and let guests serve themselves—a cup of ice with a ladleful of punch.

TIP If you don’t wish to bother with serving ice with this punch, consider making an ice-ring for the punch bowl instead. In a small Jello ring mold, mix equal amounts of pineapple juice, orange juice and cranberry juice. Freeze until solid. To remove the ring from the pan, turn it upside down and run it under warm water until it loosens from the pan. Float the ring in the punch bowl to keep the punch cold, and it won’t water down the punch like a regular ice ring would.

Experiment with mixing different juices into the punch. Substitute black cherry or pomegranate juice for the cranberry. Substitute tangerine juice for the orange.

On Christmas morning, we use brunch as an excuse to take a break from opening gifts under the tree. During brunch we follow a family tradition of sharing what each of us has done for charities during the past year. It’s a feel-good tradition and it keeps us on top of thinking about those who are less fortunate than us. Mimosas are another tradition. They’re festive, they go well with brunch, and they travel along quite nicely to “Part Two” of the sharing of gifts.

Fill six 12-ounce glasses with ¹⁄₂ cup ice each. Add ¹⁄₃ cup pomegranate juice, ¹⁄₃ cup orange juice and ¹⁄₂ cup Champagne to each glass. Garnish each glass with a few pomegranate seeds. Serve immediately.

If you do not wish to use alcohol in this recipe, it’s easy to leave it out. Just substitute club soda for the champagne.

Make cranberry mimosas instead by substituting cranberry juice for the pomegranate juice.

Apricots make me think of bright and shiny, sunny days. Their obvious, golden color is bound to cheer up even the crabbiest of people, so I like to serve this sweet apricot sparkling cocktail at a spring or summer brunch. The bonus: when you tell your guests that you’re serving up fancy-schmancy “bellinis,” you’ll impress them without having to go to much trouble at all to prepare them.

To prepare the simple syrup, in a small saucepan, combine the water and sugar. Bring it to a boil and cook until the sugar dissolves, about 2 minutes. Remove the syrup from the heat, pour it into a small bowl and refrigerate until it is well chilled (about 2 hours).

To prepare the apricot puree, place the simple syrup and the apricots in a blender. Blend until smooth.

To assemble the bellinis, spoon 2 tablespoons of apricot puree into each of 8 champagne glasses. Top each with ¹⁄₃ cup Prosecco and ¹⁄₂ tablespoon Grand Marnier. Give each glass a gentle stir. Add a raspberry to each drink and serve.

QUICK AND EASY TIP Purchase apricot nectar and use 2 tablespoons per cocktail instead of making your own apricot puree.

Change the flavor of your bellini! Use the same instructions using peaches or mangoes in place of the apricots, or purchase canned peach or mango nectar to use instead.

My doughnut pan is one of those pans lurking in the back of my kitchen cupboard, collecting crumbs and wishing it had a more active lifestyle. This Portuguese-style doughnut recipe doesn’t need a specialty pan at all. The batter is simply dropped into heated oil and these doughnuts puff up like magic. A quick roll in some spiced sugar and they’re gobbled up in just a bite or two. Anyone want a doughnut pan?

Pour the oil into a medium saucepan. You’ll need 2 to 3 inches of oil. Heat the oil over medium-high heat until it reaches 360°F (see Tips).

In a medium saucepan, combine the water, butter, sugar and salt over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, whisking constantly. When the mixture comes to a boil, remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the flour until the dough comes together. Transfer the dough to a large bowl and let it cool for 5 minutes.

Use an electric mixer to beat the eggs, one at a time, into the dough. Continue beating until the eggs are well incorporated into the dough and the batter is thick, 3 to 4 minutes. Mix in the vanilla.

Drop the dough by the heaping tablespoonful into the hot oil, frying about 6 at a time. The dough balls will puff up into rounds and roll around in the oil as they cook. Help them along with a slotted metal spoon, turning them over occasionally until golden brown on all sides, 3 to 4 minutes. Scoop the doughnuts out of the oil and onto a paper towel–lined plate briefly, then transfer them to the bowl of spiced sugar. Spoon the sugar over and around the doughnuts until they are well coated. Serve immediately, or place them on a platter until ready to serve. Repeat with the remaining batter and sugar.

TIPS For this recipe, you’ll need to have a thermometer for measuring the temperature of the oil. I like to use a candy thermometer that can clip to the side of the pan.

These doughnuts are best when served the day that they’re made, but they’ll also keep in a covered container for a day or two.

I think you either love scones or you don’t. At the coffee shops, it’s pretty standard fare to find scones that are dry and cardboard-like. Add icing to those and they’re somewhat manageable but never completely satisfying. These scones I have for you here will make a scones-lover out of you yet. They’re tender as can be and are topped with a light cinnamon glaze, and they don’t taste a thing like cardboard.

To prepare the scones, in a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Cut in the butter with a pastry cutter or two knives until the mixture resembles fine crumbs (alternatively, this step can be done easily by pulsing the dry ingredients and butter in the food processor).

In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the banana, egg and cream. Add the dry ingredients and gently fold them together using a rubber spatula. Scoop the mixture onto a floured surface and sprinkle with a tablespoon of flour. The dough will be a bit wet, so move it around on the floured surface until it is lightly covered with flour. Shape the dough into a rounded mound (adding more flour, as needed, to keep it from sticking to the surface).

Move the scone dough onto the prepared baking sheet and pat it into a 9-inch round, about 1¹⁄₂ inches thick. Use a pizza cutter or a sharp knife to cut the round in half, then cut through the center twice more to create 6 wedges. Gently pull each wedge away from the center to create about ¹⁄₄-inch space between each wedge.

Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, or until the top is lightly browned and feels quite firm all the way through (no squishy center). Remove the scones from the oven and let cool at least 20 minutes.

Use a sharp knife to cut through the partially cooled, precut slices and gently pull the scones apart. Place them on a wire rack to cool completely.

To prepare the icing, in a medium bowl, whisk together the icing ingredients using 2 tablespoons of milk until smooth. Add more milk if the icing is still too thick; you want it to be a drizzling consistency. Spoon the icing over the tops of the scones. Give the icing at least 15 minutes to set and then serve.

TIP These are best eaten the day they’re made, but when they’re stored in a sealed container they’re good the next day too. Wrap and freeze if you’d like, defrosting when the mood for a scone strikes.

Turn these into pumpkin scones by substituting unsweetened pumpkin puree for the banana and adding in ¹⁄₂ teaspoon ground nutmeg, ¹⁄₄ teaspoon ground cloves and ¹⁄₄ teaspoon ground ginger.

Makes: 24 rolls Prep Time: 45 minutes + cooling and rising times Cook Time: 25 minutes

My Grandma Billie used to make these cinnamon rolls whenever my family came to visit, but I especially remember eating them on Christmas morning. We’d wake up and wander into the kitchen where we’d see the counters covered with rising cinnamon rolls. Grandma liked to use a simple sweet vanilla icing to top the rolls. Perfect!

To prepare the dough, in a small saucepan, heat the milk and shortening until the shortening is melted. Remove the pan from the heat and let it sit at room temperature until it has cooled to lukewarm, about 30 minutes.

In a small bowl, dissolve the yeast in the warm water and set aside until the yeast bubbles (see Tips).

In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the eggs, sugar and salt until the mixture is foamy, 1 to 2 minutes. Mix in the milk mixture and yeast mixture. (See Tips if you do not have a stand mixer.)

Change the beaters of the mixer to a dough hook and add the 5 cups flour 1 cup at a time until the flour is incorporated, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. The dough should come together in a ball and begin to lift from the bottom of the mixing bowl. Add more flour a little as a time, as needed, until a ball of dough is formed and the dough is no longer sticky. Let the dough hook do its thing and knead the dough for about 5 minutes.

Spray a medium bowl with nonstick spray. Scrape the dough into the bowl and turn it over to coat all sides with the oil. Cover the bowl with a clean dish towel and set it in a warm place to rise until the dough is nearly doubled, for 1 to 2 hours. Spray two 9 × 13-inch pans with nonstick spray. Set aside.

To add the filling to the dough, punch down the risen dough and transfer it to a well-floured surface. Roll out the dough into a large rectangle, ¹⁄₄ to ¹⁄₂ inch thick, with the long side facing you (adding more flour, as needed, to prevent the dough from sticking to the surface). Spread the dough with softened butter. Sprinkle the white sugar evenly, then sprinkle the brown sugar evenly and finally sprinkle the cinnamon evenly.

Beginning with the long side closest to you, roll the dough over the filling until you’ve created one big log of rolled dough. Trim the ends off and discard. Use a sharp knife to slice 1-inch-wide cinnamon rolls. Carefully remove the cut rolls to the two 9 × 13-inch oiled pans. Place 12 rolls in each pan.

Instructions for baking these now: Cover the pans loosely with clean dish towels and put them in a warm place to rise (1 to 2 hours), until they’re about doubled in size.

Instructions for baking these later: Cover the pans with plastic wrap and keep them in the refrigerator for up to 1 day. When you’re ready to bake, take them out of the fridge, remove the plastic wrap and cover them loosely with clean dish towels. Place the pans in a warm place to rise, until they’re about doubled in size. If you’d like to have these first thing in the morning, you can place them in a cold oven (turn on the light, but not the heat) and leave them overnight. They should be risen and ready to bake in the morning. Then continue to the baking instructions below.

To bake, preheat the oven to 350°F. Remove the dish towels and bake the cinnamon rolls for 15 to 20 minutes, just until golden. Remove from the oven and let the rolls cool for a few minutes.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the glaze ingredients, adding just enough milk to create a drizzling consistency. Drizzle the glaze over the warm rolls and serve immediately.

TIPS The temperature of the water to mix with the yeast is important. If it’s too hot, it might kill the yeast. Watch for the yeast to bubble; if it doesn’t bubble, your yeast is likely no longer active and you should try again with a new packet.

If you don’t have a stand mixer, use a regular hand mixer to beat the eggs, sugar and salt. Mix in the milk mixture and the yeast mixture. Then stir in the flour 1 cup at a time (5 cups total) until it’s incorporated. Transfer the dough to a floured surface and work the dough, kneading it for 5 to 8 minutes, continuing to add flour, as needed, until the dough comes together to form a ball and is no longer sticky. Continue with the instructions for rising.

Add raisins or nuts to your cinnamon rolls if you’d like. We’re not a raisin or nut kind of family, so I typically leave those out.

When the fall holidays roll around, I become completely enamored with all things eggnog. Rather than guzzle the stuff from the carton—which unfortunately goes directly to my hips—I prefer to enjoy the flavor of eggnog by baking with it instead. These eggnog-flavored muffins are certainly a treat for the eggnog-loving crowd, and they’re topped with a simple sugar-and-nut streusel.

To prepare the muffin batter, in a medium bowl, whisk together the flour and baking powder. Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together 1 cup of the sugar, the eggnog, butter, eggs and extract. Add the dry ingredients and stir just until combined. In a separate bowl, toss the cranberries with the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar. Fold into the muffin batter.

To prepare the streusel topping, in a medium bowl, combine the streusel ingredients using a pastry cutter or a fork, until the mixture is crumbly.

Fill the prepared muffin cups two-thirds full. Top each muffin cup with 1 tablespoon of the streusel topping. Bake for 18 to 22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. Let the muffins cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes before removing them from the pan.

TIP Only have fresh cranberries? Spread them on a rimmed pan and pop them in the freezer until they are firm. Frozen cranberries are much easier to chop.

Leave off the streusel topping and give these muffins an eggnog glaze instead! Mix ¹⁄₄ cup sifted powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon eggnog and a dash of nutmeg. Drizzle over the tops of the muffins.

The best thing about having a kid in the house is that you always have peanut butter and jelly in the house. Well, okay … maybe that’s not the “best” thing, but it sure is a bonus of having kids around. I’ve turned everyone’s favorite sandwich into muffins for breakfast. A generous dollop of your favorite jam is plopped right into the middle of peanut buttery cake.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the milk, peanut butter, oil, egg and vanilla. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix just until combined.

Scoop about 2 tablespoons of batter into each muffin cup. Spoon a heaping teaspoonful of jam on top of each cupful of batter. Then spoon about 2 tablespoons of batter over the jam. Divide any remaining batter equally among the muffin cups.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the muffins have risen in the middle and are firm to touch.

TIP If you use a natural-style peanut butter for this recipe, just be sure to use one that is a creamy, nonstir type. You need the oils that are present in the peanut butter to create nice, moist and tender muffins.

Use your favorite variety of jam for this recipe. Blackberry happens to be an especially good substitute for strawberry.

Create almond butter muffins by substituting a creamy, nonstir variety of almond butter for the peanut butter.

I’ve been making a basic pumpkin bread recipe for many years, and I give away dozens of loaves to family and friends during the fall holidays. It’s anything but ordinary. It’s moist and spicy and hearty and perfect. Swirl Nutella into this bread, though, and it transforms into something even more wonderful. I like to think of it as the hip and cool version of my classic pumpkin bread.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9 × 5-inch loaf pan with nonstick spray (see Tips).

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, spices and salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to combine the sugar, oil and eggs. Add the dry ingredients and beat until the flour is completely incorporated. Add the pumpkin puree and the water and beat just until all of the ingredients are well combined.

Spoon the Nutella into a medium dish and soften in the microwave for about 20 seconds. Add ¹⁄₃ cup of the pumpkin batter to the Nutella and stir until they are well blended.

Pour half of the pumpkin batter into the prepared pan. Spoon half of the Nutella batter on top of the pumpkin batter (little spoonfuls about 1 inch apart). Pour the remaining pumpkin batter over the Nutella, then spoon the rest of the Nutella batter on top. Swirl the batters together a few times gently with a knife.

Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan for at least 15 minutes and then turn the loaf out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

TIPS This recipe makes a nice, large loaf of bread. Don’t be tempted to use a loaf pan that is smaller than 9 × 5 inches, or if you do then you’ll want to use some of the excess batter to make a few muffins too.

This bread freezes well. When cooled, cover with plastic wrap and then foil. Freeze until you’re ready to eat. It keeps well in the freezer for several weeks.

Leave out the Nutella completely to make the classic version of my pumpkin bread.

Turn this into Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread instead by leaving out the Nutella and mixing in 1 cup miniature chocolate chips instead.

I hope that you’re lucky enough to live in a place that has apple trees. Autumn apple-picking time is just about the best family activity there is. Kids pull apples from trees and proudly place them in their collection bags. It’s quite the fun experience for all. The best part is coming home with loads of apples and figuring out what you’d like to make with them. Applesauce is the obvious choice, but apple cider bread should run a close second.

Into a medium bowl, sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and cloves.

In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the sugars and butter until light and creamy, 1 to 2 minutes. Beat in the eggs until incorporated. Add the flour mixture half at a time, alternating with the cider, and mix just until combined.

In a small bowl, toss the apples with the lemon juice. Stir the apples into the batter.

Scoop the batter into the prepared pan. Bake 50 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan for at least 20 minutes and turn the loaf out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

TIPS I like to use a combination of apples in this bread. I recommend Gala, Granny Smith, Braeburn and Jonathon varieties.

This bread is actually one of those that tastes better the next day. It will keep for several days—just store it in a covered container or wrap it well.

My sister Susie has a friend named Dana (are you still with me?) who brings plum coffee cake into the office to share every fall. It’s her grandmother’s recipe. I drooled over my sister’s description of the cake … how it looked, how it tasted and how all of the staff at her middle school devoured the cake in nothing flat. She was nice enough to ask Dana to share the recipe. Dana asked Grandma, and Grandma gave the okay, and now we all get the benefit of sharing the delight of Grandma Amelia’s French Plum Coffee Cake. It sounds fancy and all with the French plums, but you can just use regular plums in the cake and all will be fine.

8 tablespoons (1 stick) salted butter, at room temperature Grated zest of 1 lemon

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 13 × 18-inch jelly-roll pan with nonstick spray (see Tips).

To prepare the cake, in a large bowl, use an electric mixer to combine the sugar, butter and lemon zest. Beat in the egg and salt.

Into a separate bowl, sift the flour and baking soda. Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, a little at a time, alternating with the milk. Spread the batter into the prepared pan. Place the plum wedges on top of the batter, spacing them out decoratively in rows.

To prepare the streusel, in a medium bowl, combine the streusel ingredients and mix until crumbly. Crumble the streusel mixture evenly on top of the plums.

Bake the cake for 25 to 35 minutes, or until it is lightly browned and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool for at least 20 minutes before cutting and serving.

TIP A 13 × 18-inch jelly-roll pan is a standard-size, rimmed baking sheet (otherwise known as a half sheet pan). This pan will work best for baking this cake.

Change this into another variety of fruit cake. Try substituting sliced nectarines or peaches for the plums.

One Sunday morning, many moons ago, I took my creativity out on this cake recipe. My family was eagerly awaiting something special for a weekend breakfast, and I was determined to make something with brown butter … and bananas … and turn it upside down. This recipe was the result and was a big hit with my two boys. Dare I say that the three of us ate the entire cake in one sitting?

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray an 8-inch round or 8-inch square cake pan with cooking spray.

To prepare the topping, melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir until the butter begins to brown, 5 to 6 minutes. Remove from heat and pour the browned butter into the round cake pan, swirling it around to coat the bottom of the pan.

In a small bowl, stir together the sugars and cinnamon. Sprinkle evenly over the browned butter in the pan. Evenly place the banana slices on top of the sugars.

To prepare the cake, in a medium bowl, use an electric mixer to combine the butter and sugar. Beat in the banana, sour cream, egg and vanilla.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger and salt. Stir the dry ingredients into the banana mixture. Spoon the batter into the pan, spreading evenly over the bananas.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove the cake from the oven, run a sharp knife along the side of the pan to loosen. Place a serving plate on top of the pan and gently flip it over. The cake should come out of the pan and onto the plate easily. Tap the bottom of the pan if the cake needs coaxing. Drizzle any remaining juices in the pan over the top of the cake. Serve immediately.

TIP Use bananas that are ripe and soft with many brown spots—not the dead black variety.

Turn this cake into an Upside-Down Brown Butter-Banana-Blueberry Coffee Cake. Rather than placing banana slices on the bottom of the pan, sprinkle blueberries on there instead.

There are no omelettes in this cookbook and that is for good reason. I simply don’t like them and I’ve never been very skilled at making them either. Most of the time an omelette is all egg and not enough “stuff.” I start in the center and eat my way through all of the good stuff, but soon I’m left with a plate full of overcooked egg leftovers. The solution? A scramble. I figure if you scramble all of that good omelette stuff into your eggs, there’s little chance you’ll have any unadorned egg left over.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, water and lemon juice. Whisk them well as you really want to get the water and lemon juice incorporated into the eggs. Set aside.

Heat a medium skillet to medium and spray with nonstick spray. Add the cream cheese and let it melt in the pan for 1 minute, swirling it around to soften. Give the eggs one more generous whisking, and then add them to the heated pan. Use a rubber spatula to move them around while they cook, allowing a chance for the raw egg to move around the pan. When the eggs are almost completely cooked, add in the spinach, tomatoes and cheese, continuing to stir the eggs until the spinach has wilted and the eggs are completely cooked through. Remove the pan from heat and sprinkle with chives, if desired. Serve immediately with salt and pepper, to taste.

TIP Don’t try to chop your vegetables while you’re cooking your eggs. Having everything chopped and ready to go ahead of time makes this recipe easy.

Add in ¹⁄₂ teaspoon of freshly chopped dill with the veggies for a different spin on the flavor.

Change up the vegetable additions—for example, lightly steamed broccoli, or sautéed mushrooms, zucchini and shallots.

Makes: 10 servings Prep Time: 30 minutes + overnight in the refrigerator Cook Time: 1 hour and 10 minutes

My family has been making different versions of this “feeds-a-large-crowd” breakfast casserole for many years now. It’s the perfect, low-stress choice for company and family get-togethers since the whole thing is assembled the night before, and it’s so delicious that there is rarely much left over. Leftovers of this casserole, however, are a very good thing indeed.

Spread the bread cubes evenly in the prepared dish and drizzle them with the butter. Sprinkle with the sausage and cheeses. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, wine, green onions, mustard and cayenne. Pour the egg mixture over the casserole, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

Remove the casserole from the refrigerator at least 30 minutes before baking. Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Remove the plastic wrap from the casserole. Spray a piece of foil with nonstick spray and cover the casserole, sprayed side down. Bake for 1 hour. Remove the casserole from the oven, take off the foil, spread the sour cream on top and sprinkle with the Parmesan. Bake, uncovered, for an additional 10 minutes, or until the casserole has turned golden brown and it is cooked through. Let cool for 15 minutes before slicing and serving.

TIP I like the flavor that the wine gives to the casserole, but if you do not wish to use alcohol in this dish, just use an extra ¹⁄₄ cup of milk instead.

Substitute 8 ounces of cooked and crumbled sausage for the kielbasa, if desired.

This recipe is also good using a blend of Mexican shredded cheese in place of the cheddar-Swiss combination.

I can eat quiche for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and I devour it as leftovers late at night too. It’s one of those things that always seems like a good meal to me. The best thing about a quiche, though, is that it feels like dessert too. A flaky crust with a creamy egg custard filling … baked in a pie pan. How can that not feel like you’re eating dessert, even if there is broccoli and ham and Swiss cheese in it? Dessert for breakfast works for me.

Preheat the oven to 350°F and spray a 9-inch deep-dish pie pan with nonstick spray.

To prepare the crust, in a food processor, pulse together the flour, butter, nutmeg, salt and cayenne a few times, until thick crumbs form. Mix the 2 tablespoons water and the vinegar and drizzle the mixture into the processor slowly while it is processing. The dough should come together in clumps. If necessary, add more ice water, ¹⁄₂ tablespoon at a time, until the dough comes together. Remove the dough from the processor, place it onto a piece of plastic wrap and pat it into a round. Wrap the round with plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator for at least 15 minutes, while you prepare the filling.

To prepare the filling, in a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until softened and lightly browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the ham and garlic and cook for an additional 2 minutes. Add the broccoli, stir to combine and cook an additional 2 minutes. Remove the pan from heat.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, cream, mustard, salt and pepper. Set aside.

Between two pieces of plastic wrap, roll out the crust into a round roughly 12 inches in diameter. Peel off the top layer of plastic wrap and turn the crust over the prepared pie plate. Peel off the remaining piece of plastic wrap and gently move the crust into the pan, crimping the edges around the pan as desired.

Spoon the cooked vegetables into the crust. Sprinkle the cheese on top. Pour the egg custard over.

Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the filling is set and the top of the quiche starts to turn golden brown. Let cool for 15 minutes before slicing.

VEGETARIAN ADAPTABLE Leave out the ham and substitute another cup of vegetables in its place.

QUICK AND EASY Purchase a premade crust and then proceed with the recipe as directed.

TIP Quiche makes great leftovers for 2 to 3 days. Cover it with plastic wrap and keep in the refrigerator.

Use your favorite cheese or a combination of cheeses in place of the Swiss cheese.

Sautéed mushrooms are very good in quiche. Add them in or use them in place of the broccoli.

Avocados were definitely not part of the meal plan in my growing-up years. I don’t know if they weren’t readily available in the 70s, or if they just weren’t trendy, or perhaps the average housewife had no idea what to do with one of them. In college, I was introduced to avocados by way of guacamole. Nowadays, avocados make it into my grocery cart every single time I’m at the market, and they’re not just for guacamole anymore. Avocados also happen to fit in quite nicely on a sandwich cozied up next to egg, bacon, tomato and pepper Jack cheese.

In a medium skillet, fry the bacon over medium heat until crisp, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove the bacon to paper towels to drain. Wipe out the skillet.

Heat the skillet to medium and spray with nonstick spray. Add the egg and cook until the egg white begins to turn an opaque white, 2 to 3 minutes. Use a rubber spatula to gently flip the egg over. Cook the egg until it is no longer raw, an additional 1 to 2 minutes (see Tips).

Place one slice of bread on a plate. Top it with the cheese. Slide the fried egg onto the cheese. Add the bacon, tomato and avocado. Sprinkle with lemon pepper and salt. Top with the second slice of bread. Use a sharp knife to cut the sandwich in half and serve immediately.

GLUTEN-FREE ADAPTABLE Use a brand of bacon that is known to be gluten-free and substitute gluten-free bread for regular bread.

TIP Cook the egg so that some of the yolk still remains a little bit runny inside. When you cut into it, some of that yolk will drizzle onto your plate and create a good dipping sauce for the sandwich!

There’s a deli near my house that specializes in pizza. Their best business move was when they began selling breakfast pizza. It has been such a big hit that I thought I’d better try to re-create that recipe at home. This recipe here is pretty darn similar to what we take away in the pizza box. It’s a sausage, egg and cheese pizza topped with sour cream and salsa. I love to make it on lazy Sunday mornings when my boys are lounging around watching football.

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Place a pizza stone on the bottom rack of the oven and heat for 30 minutes. (See Tips if you do not have a pizza stone.)

In a large nonstick skillet, brown the sausage over medium heat, stirring until it crumbles and is no longer pink, 5 to 7 minutes. Spoon the sausage onto a paper towel–lined plate. Set aside to drain. Wipe the skillet clean. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs and pepper. Set aside. On a floured surface, roll out the dough into a 12- to 14-inch circle. Sprinkle the pizza stone with cornmeal and slide the dough onto the stone. Bake the crust for 4 minutes, or until lightly browned and bubbling.

While the crust is baking, cook the eggs in a lightly greased skillet over medium heat, without stirring, until the eggs begin to set on the bottom. Draw a rubber spatula across the bottom of the skillet, creating large curds. Continue cooking until the eggs are thickened but still moist (do not stir constantly). Remove the skillet from heat and set aside.

When the crust is lightly browned and bubbling, carefully open the oven and slide out the rack. Spoon and spread the salsa over the partially baked crust and then top it evenly with sausage, scrambled eggs and cheese. Bake for 8 to 12 more minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the crust is a deep, golden brown.

Remove the pizza from the oven and let cool for at least 10 minutes before slicing. Serve slices with sour cream, if desired.

TIPS Make your own Pizza Dough, purchase premade pizza dough from your market, or ask a pizza shop to sell you a 1-pound ball of dough.

If you do not have a pizza stone, use a pizza pan or a cookie sheet instead. Just be sure to sprinkle the pan with cornmeal before placing the dough on the pan and don’t preheat the pan in the oven as you would the stone.

To lighten up this recipe, use reduced-fat sausage, egg whites, reduced-fat cheese and low-fat sour cream.

Add some of your favorite pizza toppings to this breakfast pizza! Try cooked bacon, tomato, caramelized onions, different cheeses and ham.

When the weekend rolls around, my family wants a little something special for breakfast. I’m more than happy to make that something special for them. If we eat breakfast out, we’re likely to spend a boatload of money and eat far more than one should ever eat in the first meal of the day. One of my favorite weekend breakfasts is this baked egg casserole. It has veggies packed inside of it, and it gives you a whole lot more energy than sluggishness on a relaxing weekend day.

In a medium skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the leek and cook until it begins to soften, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the Swiss chard and tomatoes. Cover the pan and cook until the chard has wilted, an additional 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the pan from heat and set aside to cool.

In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, ricotta, milk, ¹⁄₃ cup of the Swiss cheese, the mustard, salt and cayenne.

Spread the cooled vegetables into the bottom of the prepared pan. Pour the egg mixture on top.

Bake for 20 minutes. Sprinkle the remaining ¹⁄₃ cup Swiss cheese on top of the egg. Bake an additional 10 minutes, or until a knife inserted into the center of the egg bake comes out clean.

GLUTEN-FREE ADAPTABLE Use a brand of Dijon mustard that is known to be gluten-free.

TIP For ease of making this quickly in the morning, do all of your chopping the night before. It’ll be a snap to prepare the next day.

This egg dish recipe is vegetarian, but you can certainly change things up by adding in cooked bacon, ham or sausage. Feel free to switch up your choice of cheese too.

Once in a while, after I’ve scooted my son off to school, I like to whip up a little breakfast for just the husband and me. Heck, sometimes this one even shows up as lunch or dinner. Here’s an egg and potato dish with plenty of cheese, onions, bell peppers and bacon mixed in. The best part is that it serves just two, so if there are, in fact, only two of you, then overeating is not an option!

Place the potatoes in a small saucepan and cover with water. Bring the water to a boil. Cook until the potatoes are just tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Drain, then chop, leaving the peel on.

In a bowl, combine the eggs and ¹⁄₄ cup of the cheese, stirring well. Set aside.

In a 10-inch oven-safe skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the bell pepper, bacon, onion and garlic and cook, stirring, until the onion is softened, about 5 minutes. Add the potatoes into the pan and pour the egg mixture over and around the potatoes, spreading evenly in the skillet. Cook over medium-low heat until almost set, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle with the remaining ¹⁄₂ cup cheese.

Bake for 5 minutes, or until set. If your skillet has a plastic handle, cover the handle tightly with foil before placing it in the oven. Divide the frittata in half and top each serving with sour cream.

GLUTEN-FREE ADAPTABLE Use a brand of prosciutto or Canadian bacon that is known to be gluten-free.

TIP Don’t add salt to the dish, at least until after you taste it. The bacon/prosciutto will provide a good dose of sodium all on its own.

Experiment with different flavors of cheese and vegetable additions, such as Swiss cheese, zucchini and sun-dried tomato.

There is little on this earth that is more satisfying than a freshly baked cinnamon roll with cream cheese oozing down the sides. One Sunday morning, it came to me … pancakes deserve to have that cinnamon–cream cheese goodness too. The result was pancakes with crusty cinnamon craters held within. A hefty drizzle of cream cheese icing makes them a lot like those beloved cinnamon rolls.

To prepare the cinnamon filling, in a medium bowl, stir together the butter, brown sugar and cinnamon. Scoop the filling into a quart-size heavy zip baggie. Set aside (see Tips).

To prepare the glaze, in a small pan, melt the butter over low heat. Whisk in the cream cheese until smooth. Remove the pan from heat. Whisk in the powdered sugar and vanilla and set aside.

To prepare the pancake batter, in a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Whisk in the milk, egg and oil just until the batter is moistened (a few small lumps are fine).

To cook the pancakes, heat a large skillet or griddle over medium heat. Spray with nonstick spray. Use an ice cream scoop or ¹⁄₃ cup measuring cup to add the batter to the skillet. Use the bottom of the scoop or cup to spread the batter into a nice, even circle (about 5 inches in diameter). Reduce the heat to medium-low. Snip the corner of the baggie with the cinnamon filling and squeeze the filling into the open corner. Starting at the center of the pancake, squeeze the cinnamon filling on top of the pancake batter in a swirl (just as you see in a regular cinnamon roll; see Tips). Cook the pancake until bubbles begin to appear and burst on top of the pancake and it is golden brown on the bottom, 3 to 4 minutes. Slide a thin spatula underneath the pancake and gently but quickly flip it over. Cook until the other side is golden as well, an additional 2 to 3 minutes. When you flip the pancake onto a plate, you will see that the cinnamon filling has created a crater-swirl of cinnamon. Wipe out the pan with a paper towel and repeat with the nonstick spray and the remaining pancake batter and cinnamon filling. Serve pancakes topped with a drizzle of warm cream cheese glaze.

TIPS Before swirling the cinnamon filling, open up the baggie again and give it a good stir to reincorporate any butter that may have separated. You want the mixture to thicken a bit—it’s best when it’s similar to the squeezing texture of toothpaste, which will happen if you leave it at room temperature for several minutes (refrigerate it for a few minutes if you need to). Don’t try to use the filling for the pancake swirl unless it has thickened as it will be too runny to make a solid swirl.

It’s best if you pour the batter into your skillet, wait a minute or so and then swirl the cinnamon onto the batter. That’ll give the batter a chance to set a little before you add the swirl.

If you’re trying to justify your intake of decadent cinnamon rolls, you can make this a tad bit healthier by using half whole wheat flour and low-fat cream cheese, or enjoy the pancakes without the glaze.

Makes: 4 to 6 servings Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 6 to 8 minutes per pancake

It’s such a simple concept, really. Add pumpkin puree and spices to pancake batter and you’ll end up with tender, moist and fluffy pancakes that need little adornment for serving. When fall rolls around, I recommend that you stock up on canned pumpkin puree. Sometimes it’s tough to find in the middle of July and you’ll likely be craving these pumpkin pancakes all year long.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, allspice and salt.

In a separate large bowl, whisk together the milk, pumpkin, butter, eggs and vanilla. Add the dry ingredients and stir just until combined.

Preheat a large skillet or griddle over medium heat. Spray with nonstick spray. Use an ice cream scoop (2 scoops) or ¹⁄₂ cup measuring cup to add the batter to the center of the skillet. Use the bottom of the scoop or cup to spread the batter into a nice, even circle. Reduce the heat to medium-low and let the pancake cook until bubbles begin to appear and burst on top of the pancake and it’s turning golden brown on the bottom, 3 to 4 minutes. Flip the pancake and cook until the other side is golden brown as well, an additional 2 to 3 minutes. Repeat with the nonstick spray and the remaining pancake batter. Serve the pancakes with butter and powdered sugar and/or warm maple syrup.

TIP I like to warm up the skillet to medium heat and then reduce it to medium-low once the pancakes get going. It gives the pancakes a little head start with cooking, but you don’t want to keep the heat that aggressively hot throughout the whole cooking process or you’ll end up with a tough crust.

Turn these into Pumpkin–Cinnamon Roll Pancakes by adding a cinnamon swirl filling and a cream cheese glaze. See the Cinnamon Roll Pancakes recipe and follow the same instructions for swirling and topping for this variation.

Truth be told, we are normally a banana-pancake kind of family. Rarely does a regular-old pancake grace a plate in the Recipe Girl house. Bananas are pretty much always sliced up and cooked right on in there with the batter. It’s the way we do our pancakes around here, plain and simple. I was feeling a little wild and crazy one weekend morning when I created this pancake recipe though, and I surprised my family with a savory sort of pancake. It’s a pancake where corn and bacon and melted cheese are lurking, and bananas are nowhere to be found. With extra bacon sprinkled on top and a generous drizzle of maple syrup, these have become a popular favorite on the website.

In a medium skillet, cook the bacon pieces over medium-high heat until they begin to brown. Add the onion and continue to cook until the bacon is crisp and the onion is softened. Scoop out a heaping tablespoon of the bacon mixture to garnish the griddle cakes and set aside.

While the bacon is cooking, in a medium bowl, combine the flour, chives, baking powder, salt and cayenne. Stir in the milk, egg and oil just until moistened. Stir in the remaining bacon mixture, corn and cheese. The mixture will be thick. If you’d like the griddle cakes to be thinner, just add a little bit more milk to thin out the batter.

Preheat a griddle or large skillet over medium heat. Spray with nonstick spray. Scoop a heaping ¹⁄₄ cup of the batter onto the griddle, using the bottom of the cup to spread it into an even circle. Cook the griddle cake until it is golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Repeat with the nonstick spray and the remaining batter.

Serve stacks of griddle cakes topped with a sprinkle of the reserved bacon mixture and the warm maple syrup.

TIP For a more decadent option, use the skillet in which you fried the bacon and cook your pancakes in the bacon grease.

Other add-ins that would be great in this savory pancake: chopped ham, green and red bell peppers, hot sauce, jalapeño cheese and sausage.

Makes: 4 servings Prep Time: 10 minutes + resting time Cook Time: 4 minutes per pancake

I have always, always been on the hunt for the perfect pancake. Good pancakes are fluffy pancakes. The batter should be thick and bubbly. The pancakes should puff up substantially on the griddle, and they should hold their shape when stacked with maple syrup drizzling down their sides. I believe that I’ve perfected the fluffy pancake in this recipe.

In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, milk and eggs. Slowly whisk in the melted butter and vanilla.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir gently with a fork. Stir only until the batter is mostly combined. It will be a thick and lumpy batter—that’s what you want. Place the batter into the refrigerator and let it rest for 15 minutes.

Preheat a large skillet or griddle over medium heat. Spray it with nonstick spray. Use an ice cream scoop (2 scoops) or ¹⁄₂ cup measuring cup to add the batter to the center of the skillet. Use the bottom of the scoop or cup to spread the batter into a nice, even circle. The batter will be thick. Cook the pancakes until bubbles begin to appear and burst on top of the pancakes and they are golden brown on the bottom, 2 to 3 minutes. Flip the pancakes and cook until the other sides turn golden brown as well, an additional 1 to 2 more minutes. Repeat with the nonstick spray and the remaining batter. Serve with the warm maple syrup.

TIP Don’t skip the step of letting the batter rest in the refrigerator. “Resting” gives the glutens in the flour a chance to relax, which will result in more tender and fluffy pancakes, and keeping the batter chilled will keep your baking powder and soda from activating too early.

Add in some goodies to make these pancakes extra special! Suggested add-ins: sliced banana, blueberries, raspberries, or chocolate chips. After you’ve scooped the batter onto the pan and formed it into a round shape, just drop your add-ins on top of the batter. Flip the pancakes carefully so you don’t lose your add-ins!

I think my Mom made French toast every weekend when I was growing up. At least that’s the way I like to remember it. I’m sure she made it simple … with just milk, eggs and cinnamon, but that’s what made it so good. Mine is made simple like that too but with the addition of a cinnamon graham cracker crumb crust clinging to the custard-soaked bread.

In a medium, low, wide bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs, 1 teaspoon of the cinnamon and the vanilla. Pour the graham cracker crumbs into a separate low wide bowl and stir in the remaining 1 teaspoon cinnamon.

Heat a large skillet or griddle over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon of butter, melt and swirl around to cover the bottom of the skillet. Dip 1 slice of bread into the milk mixture to cover both sides and then dip it into the crumbs to coat both sides. Place the bread in the skillet. Repeat with as many slices as you can fit in the skillet. Cook until the bread is golden and toasted on the bottom, 3 to 4 minutes. Flip the slices and cook until the other sides turn golden as well, an additional 2 to 3 more minutes. Repeat with the remaining butter, slices of bread and dipping mixtures. Serve warm with maple syrup.

TIPS Substitute half-and-half for the whole milk if you like. It will just make your French toast that much more decadent. On the flip side, avoid using nonfat milk—which makes for a soggy French toast.

If you only have regular graham crackers in your pantry, use those and add an additional ¹⁄₂ teaspoon cinnamon to the crushed crumbs.

Our family loves this recipe made with Hawaiian egg bread or challah. You should be able to find both varieties of bread in your market’s bread aisle or bakery.

Turn this recipe into Pumpkin French Toast by adding in ¹⁄₄ cup unsweetened pumpkin puree, 1 tablespoon granulated white sugar and ¹⁄₄ teaspoon ground nutmeg to your milk mixture. You’ll be able to dip 8 slices of bread into the custard with those added ingredients.

Once upon a time, my husband and I had a romantic weekend getaway in Montecito, a darling little town near Santa Barbara. We noshed on local seafood and homemade ice cream, we searched for Oprah (a local resident) to no avail, and then we discovered the most amazing breakfast place called, “Jeannine’s.” It’s a good thing the pastries and desserts were enclosed in a glass case or I might have helped myself. The oatmeal they served was a thing of beauty with perfectly sliced strawberries and big juicy blueberries, and then my husband ordered their Kahlúa French Toast with Sautéed Bananas, otherwise known as Heaven on a Plate. This recipe pays homage to Jeannine’s and that decadent French toast.

To prepare the bananas, in a medium skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Stir in the brown sugar and bananas. Cook the bananas, stirring often, until the mixture begins to thicken, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the Kahlúa and continue to cook until the bananas are soft and the sauce has a thick syrup consistency, an additional 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the skillet from heat, cover and set aside.

To prepare the French toast, in a low, wide bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg. Preheat a large skillet over medium heat. Spray it with nonstick spray. Dip 1 slice of bread into the egg mixture to cover both sides. Place the bread in the skillet. Repeat with as many slices as you can fit in the skillet. Cook until the bread is golden brown on the bottom, 3 to 4 minutes. Flip the slices and cook until the other sides are golden brown as well, an additional 2 to 3 minutes. Repeat with the nonstick spray and the remaining bread. Serve the French toast topped with a scoop of the reserved bananas.

GLUTEN-FREE ADAPTABLE Use your favorite gluten-free bread in place of the Challah.

TIPS There is no need to use any syrup with this French toast. The bananas make a perfectly decadent and wonderful topping.

If you don’t wish to use alcohol in the dish, it’s okay to leave it out of the sauce. Just add in a tablespoon of maple syrup in place of the Kahlúa.

Serve with a peach–brown sugar topping instead. Substitute peeled and sliced peaches for the bananas and 1 tablespoon vanilla extract for the Kahlúa.

I’d put bacon in everything if I could. That smoky flavor and subtle crunch makes a great addition to just about everything. In these waffles you get to eliminate that step of serving bacon on the side. Here you just dump the bacon crumbles into the waffle batter and enjoy bacon in every bite, and it happens to pair nicely with apple too, the other hidden ingredient in these waffles. Top it all off with a sweet cider syrup and you’ve got breakfast.

To prepare the cider syrup, in a medium saucepan, combine the sugar, cornstarch and pumpkin pie spice. Whisk in the cider and lemon juice. Turn the heat to medium and bring the mixture to a boil, stirring often. Reduce the heat to low and continue to simmer until the mixture begins to thicken. Remove the pan from heat and add the butter. Stir until the butter has melted and is well combined with the syrup.

To prepare the waffles, in a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt. In a separate large bowl, combine the buttermilk, milk, butter and eggs. Add the dry ingredients and stir just until combined. Stir in the apple and bacon.

Spray the preheated waffle iron with nonstick spray. Scoop the batter into your waffle iron and close the lid. The waffles should take between 3 to 5 minutes to cook, depending on the type of waffle iron you have. Repeat with the remaining batter. Serve waffles with warmed cider syrup.

TIPS Apple varieties that are best for cooking into pancakes are Granny Smith, Braeburn or Jonathon.

The cider syrup may be made 2 to 3 days before serving. Keep it covered and refrigerated and just heat it up again to serve.

Waffles may be made and frozen. Pop them into the toaster to heat them up again.

Try using turkey bacon in place of regular bacon. Fry up extra bacon to crumble on top of individual servings.

The first time I baked bacon in the oven, it changed my life forever. No more trying to squish long strips of bacon into a round pan. No more messing up a large skillet and splattering oil all over my stovetop, and no more burning the bacon in the pan because I’m too busy attending to other things. This bacon is timed just right, it comes out nice and crispy, and has some great flavors.

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with enough foil so that it comes up and over the sides, and place a rack on top. Spray the rack with nonstick spray.

Lay the bacon slices on the rack. Bake the bacon for 15 minutes, or until it is beginning to brown.

While the bacon is in the oven, prepare the maple glaze. In a medium, shallow bowl, whisk together the syrup and mustard until smooth.

When the bacon has cooked for 15 minutes, carefully remove the pan from the oven and brush the tops of the bacon slices with the maple glaze. Sprinkle the pepper on top. Return the pan to the oven and bake for an additional 3 minutes, or until the bacon is brown and crisp. Move the bacon strips to a paper towel–lined plate to drain the fat from the bottom of the bacon and then serve immediately.

GLUTEN-FREE ADAPTABLE Use brands of bacon, Dijon mustard and maple syrup that are known to be gluten-free.

TIP Timing may vary slightly depending on the thickness of the bacon that you’re using. The instructions given are for regular sliced bacon. Thick-sliced bacon may take a little longer to cook.

My sister Susie has always had the best recipes. When I was in college, I’d go and visit my older sister and spend hours reading through her cookbooks and recipe collections, copying down recipes I thought I’d try out someday. This recipe is inspired from one I copied down such a long time ago. It has since become our family’s go-to breakfast potato recipe for large holiday brunch gatherings to serve alongside egg casseroles or baked ham. It’s simple and it’s delicious.

5 to 6 medium (4 to 5 pounds) russet or Yukon gold potatoes, scrubbed clean and cut in half

Fill a large pot with water and bring it to a boil. Add the potatoes (skin-on) and boil for 20 minutes. Drain the water and cool the potatoes until they are comfortable enough to handle (about 20 minutes). Peel off the skin and discard. Grate the potatoes into the prepared pan.

In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion and bell pepper and cook until softened and lightly browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Whisk in the flour. Slowly drizzle in the chicken broth, then the milk. Bring the mixture to a boil and stir until the sauce becomes slightly thickened. Stir in the sour cream, cheese, salt and pepper, and continue to stir until the cheese is melted. Pour the sauce over the potatoes. Sprinkle the crushed cornflakes on top.

Bake for 45 to 60 minutes, or until the potatoes are hot and bubbly and beginning to turn golden brown.

GLUTEN-FREE ADAPTABLE Use an alternative thickener in place of the all-purpose flour, such as potato starch or cornstarch. Use brands of chicken broth and cornflakes that are known to be gluten-free.

TIP This recipe works just fine with reduced-fat sour cream. Avoid using low-fat cheese, though, since it doesn’t tend to melt very well.

QUICK AND EASY TIP Use one 2-pound package of frozen hash brown potatoes (defrosted) in place of the fresh potatoes.

Make this a festive Christmas brunch recipe by adding in chopped green bell peppers too.

When I told my husband that I was creating a granola recipe for the cookbook, he said, “Why would you make granola when you can just buy it at the store?” I’ll tell you why Mr. Recipe Husband: It’s super easy to make, I know what I’m putting into it, and it’s outta-this-world delicious! And since I eat a sprinkle of granola on my Greek yogurt almost every day of my life, having a good stash of homemade granola around makes me happy. So there.

In a large bowl, toss together the oats, almonds, coconut flakes, oat bran, cinnamon and salt.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the honey, oil, orange juice, sugar and vanilla. Add to the dry ingredients and stir to combine.

Spread the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet. Bake 15 minutes, then stir. Bake for an additional 5 to 10 minutes, or until the oats have turned golden brown (watch the granola carefully at this point, making sure it doesn’t brown too much). Remove from the oven, stir in the dried cranberries and let the granola cool to room temperature.

When the granola has completely cooled, scoop it into a covered container where it will stay fresh for up to 2 weeks.

GLUTEN-FREE ADAPTABLE Use brands of oats and dried cranberries that are known to be gluten-free. Avoid using wheat germ; use ground flax or gluten-free oat bran instead.

TIP The oats will remain soft while baking and will transform into crispy oats after they have cooled off.

GIFT IDEA Spoon the granola into small plastic gift bags and tie on festive ribbons and labels for a fun, homemade gift.

Use different combinations of fruit and nuts—raisins and walnuts, dried apricots and pecans, etc.

The fall season is pretty much nonexistent where I live in Southern California. Unfortunately, we miss the leaves changing colors and that chill that announces a seasonal change. We continue to endure 75 degrees and sunny well into November, when the leaves decide to fall off of the trees all at once, dead instead of multicolored. To get our fill of fall, we head up into the local mountains every September where we can wear our fleece jackets and do some serious apple picking. Those apples ultimately become applesauce in my house, sweetened with a bit of maple syrup and spiced with cinnamon.

Core and peel all of the apples, chop them into 1-inch pieces and place them in a medium saucepan. Add the remaining ingredients to the pan and stir. Heat the mixture over medium-high heat until the liquid comes to a boil, peeking underneath the apples to check. Stir again and reduce the heat to the lowest heat possible. Cover the pan and simmer until the apples begin to soften and break apart, 45 minutes to 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes.

Remove the pan from heat and mash the apples with a fork or potato masher until they reach the consistency you prefer for applesauce. Serve warm, or refrigerate and serve cold at a later time.

TIPS Using a couple of varieties of apples makes for good flavors in the applesauce. I recommend these: McIntosh, Golden Delicious, Cortland, Empire, Fuji, Spartan and Winesap.

Most syrup sold as pancake syrup is not real maple syrup. These syrups are made of either cane sugar or corn syrup and contain a small percentage of maple syrup for flavor. Pure maple syrup has a much more prominent maple flavor and is better for cooking and baking. Look for Grade A or B on the label.

Keep the applesauce stored in the refrigerator in a covered container for up to 2 weeks.

This recipe turns out a chunky applesauce. If you prefer to have a pureed applesauce, let the apples cool and then transfer them to a food processor to puree.

In this fast-paced world of seemingly nonstop busy family activities, the ability to hold breakfast in one’s hand and walk out the door appeals to many. Breakfast-on-the-go doesn’t have to be unhealthy. These lightly sweetened whole wheat bars are packed with dried blueberries, pecans and oats. They put a delicious little something in your stomach in the morning without throwing you in the midst of a sugar high. It’s a nice way to start the day.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9-inch square pan or 7 × 11-inch pan with nonstick spray.

In a medium bowl, combine the flours, oats, cinnamon, baking soda and salt. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the honey, applesauce, milk, butter, egg, sugar and vanilla. Add the dry ingredients and stir. Add the blueberries and pecans, stirring just until combined (see Tips).

Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top to even it out. Bake for 20 to 22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cut into bars and serve.

TIPS Don’t overmix the batter, which can result in a tougher, denser consistency.

These bars keep well for 2 to 3 days at room temperature when they are kept in a sealed container. Alternatively, freeze bars in individual zip baggies for up to 1 month, taking them out to defrost for a quick breakfast as desired.

Swap out the blueberries and pecans for another dried fruit and nut combination—apricot/almond, cherry/almond or apple/walnut.